Category Archive: Sneak Preview

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “Historical evidence indicates the Orlando Magic are vacation-bound, unable to change the course of the series against the Boston Celtics. But maybe tonight they can change — or erase — an unflattering image that could dog them into the summer and beyond after Saturday night’s Boston Massacre.” George Diaz of the Orlando …

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “A not-so-funny thing happened to the [Orlando] Magic on the way to a second consecutive Finals appearance: The 2008 championship Celtics have materialized.They didn’t step out of an Iowa cornfield or magically appear through some heaven-sent cigar smoke from the late Red Auerbach. The tough old birds got their legs back, …

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “[Orlando] Magic coach Stan Van Gundy decided before the series that he would use [Vince] Carter to defend Paul Pierce and [Matt] Barnes to defend Allen — the opposite of how the Magic began games against the Celtics during the regular season. Pierce scored 22 points, and Van Gundy said Monday that …

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “If their chance to construct a championship era was any grander, it would be lit up in blinking neon and announced by blaring horns. Surely, the Orlando Magic have taken a look around the shifting league landscape below them and admired the view. […] If the Magic can’t see an opening …

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “Want to play with Dwight Howard and the Magic? Only shooters need apply. It’s all part of the plan or “formula,” as General Manager Otis Smith calls it. When the Magic landed Howard in the 2004 draft, they decided to surround him with guys who could put the ball in the basket, especially from …

Tania Ganguli of the Orlando Sentinel: “One thing [Orlando] Magic coach Stan Van Gundy likes about his team is that their success will depend not on whether or not they put forth the right amount of effort each night or other intangibles. “These guys have been great,” Van Gundy said. “They enjoy playing together. They play well …

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “[Stan] Van Gundy said his team was serious even though all the [Orlando] Magic did was watch film and shoot. He said players have been sharply focused ‘for the last three months.’ And, to a man, says small forward Mickael Pietrus, they are on ‘a mission’ to win the title. They …

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “Magic SF Mickael Pietrus — to no one’s surprise — said after Monday’s practice that he would play tonight in the playoff opener against the Atlanta Hawks. “Yes, I’m playing,” he said. Pietrus sprained his left ankle during Sunday’s practice, walked out of the trainer’s room in a protective boot and said afterward …

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “The [Orlando] Magic will face Jordan’s desperate team tonight and try to accomplish something never done during the Dwight Howard era: Sweep a playoff series. In fact, the Magic have never won a seven-game series with a sweep — and they’ve had seven chances since 1994. The Magic have recorded only one …

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “When he thinks about what might go wrong this afternoon in Charlotte, N.C., Stan Van Gundy worries about his players’ collective psyche. Van Gundy envisions 19,077 people inside Time Warner Cable Arena cheering wildly, and he visualizes an already desperate Charlotte Bobcats team feeding off of that energy. And, in his nightmare …